Neat & tidy hacks

Neat & Tidy Hacks…

From stunning storage solutions to giving away an item a day, these surprising decluttering tips are so useful that you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.

1. Remove clutter; don’t create more storage space

One of the first things many of us do when we’re feeling disorganised at home – and like we have clutter coming out of our ears – is to head to the shops to stock up on storage solutions. The result? More storage solutions than clutter or a house full of storage containers housing things you don’t actually need.While we’re definitely in favour of clever basket solutions or a stacking shoe contraption, buying more storage items is not always the answer.

2. Create an ‘everything’ drawer (or cupboard)

From sticky tape to batteries – and all of those things you end up rebuying because you don’t know where they are – we suggest you create a handy ‘everything’ drawer to house useful items that you frequently need. Other items could include tea light candles, elastic bands, safety pins, scissors and so on. Creating an ‘everything’ drawer means you’ll have a home for useful things so you don’t waste time riffling through the house. And you also won’t have stray batteries cluttering up drawers in every room.

3. Create a seasonal tub

Whether it’s winter or summer (or even the kids’ busy sports term), at certain times throughout the year you will find their are repeat ‘offending’ items that clutter up the home – especially entranceways. Stop clutter in its tracks by popping a tub (or your storage solution of choice) in a convenient place to house (and keep orderly) all of the items you need during that season. For instance, a summer tub might include sunscreen, sunnies, goggles, swimming cap, hat and so on.

4. The Oprah hanger trick

This is a favourite decluttering trick that Oprah uses – using hangers to tell you what you do and don’t use in your wardrobe.To start you will need to hang each item in your wardrobe with the hanger facing in the reverse direction.

5. Don’t bring junk mail into the house

This might sound like an obvious one, but you’d be surprised how many people mindlessly bring junk mail inside and let it clutter up bench tops or take up hard-tocome-by space in the recycling bin.

Instead, get in the habit of popping all junk mail – or, for that matter, any rubbish and unwanted items you remove from the car – in the bin before you enter the house.